RDF lures UTA agent for US role

Chris Coelen, the LA executive who oversaw UTA’s emergence as agency of choice for UK indies, has joined RDF Media as its US chief and is launching a new management arm in Santa Monica.

Coelen (right) will now run RDF-backed Pangea Management Group, set up to exploit European producers’ rights and formats in the US. The firm will handle reality and scripted formats, with RDF USA hoping to pick up many of the resulting production deals.

The move follows RDF’s rethink of its US presence last year, shuttering its existing LA production arm and saying goodbye to its then president Joe Houlihan, to focus production through New York, while retaining a sales office in Tinseltown.

The plan is to make Pangea “synonymous with the best of British and European ideas,” said Coelen. “By being an independent management company, we’ll be free to do deals in the US with wherever the talent lies.” Some production will also go through the new Santa Monica office.

“We’ll have a close relationship with most of RDF Rights’ clients and we’ll work with leading advertisers to create new integrated marketing opportunities that harness the powerful formats and talent we represent,” added the agent who stitched together the Wife Swap and Supernanny deals with ABC.

As well as running Pangea, Coelen will assume Houlihan’s duties as chief executive of RDF USA, overseeing all of the UK indie’s development, production and sales operations in the US. Wendy Roth remains in charge of New York production.

“We have a thriving New York production office; now when Chris sells a show we can decide whether to give it to the New York team or work with one of LA’s top showrunners,” explained RDF’s chief creative officer, Stephen Lambert. “We also expect to do more deals with third parties than ever before.”

The company’s current slate includes more Wife Swap for ABC, Survival of the Richest for WB/CW and Rap School for VH1. Coelen and his UTA team also represent many UK indies such as Ricochet, RDF, Shed, Red, Touchpaper Television, Wall To Wall and Monkey.

“We have big ambitions for our US operation and we’re delighted that someone of Chris’s considerable experience and standing within the industry has agreed to spearhead our growth. He is a perfect fit for this dual role,” said RDF CEO David Frank.